Water-cooling tower



-March 3, 1931. c.4 F. BRAUN WATER COOLING TOWER Filed sept. 14, 1928 Fig. 1

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 Unire CARL F. BRAUN, 0F PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, ASVSIGNORTO C. F. BRAUN ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA Y WATER-COOLING TOWER Application led September 14, 1928. Serial No. 306,063.

v This invention relates to water cooling towers of the atmospheric type and particularly pertains to the louver construction thereof.

In the construction of atmospheric cooling towers it is common practice to build a frame structure of a desired height and to provide meansat the top thereof and in certain instances at vpoints throughout the height thereof, to create and maintain a iinely divided falling column of water particles, during the falling of which the. temperature of the water shall be lowered as it contacts with f the atmosphere. 0f necessity, cooling towers must be built above the ground in order that air currents may be intercepted to produce an efficient cooling action upon the water.

It is thus inevitable that varying conditions y of prevailing wind will occur and that at times excessive velocity of the air passing through the tower transversely, will tend to blow the falling particles of water from the tower.

It has been common practice to provide surrounding baille walls or louvers which tend to act as retaining walls to prevent water from splashing out of the connes ofthe tower and to retain the larger water particles which may be violently blown toward the lee side of the tower and otherwise carried from the tower, with a resulting water loss.

At the present time many cooling towers are designed with superposed decks spaced a 35 substantial distance apart, the successive decks acting to break the falling column of water into linely divided particles. With this arrangement inclined louvers' flare outwardly from the sides of the tower along the perimeter of each deck to span the space between the decks. It will thus be evident that the perforate decks and their associated louvers form a panlike structure,partially 1 nested with relation to each other, through 45 which a column of water falls and by whh laterally moving large particles are prevented from escaping the conlines of the tower structure and are diverted into the falling column.

In this type of cooling tower there aA water loss of the order'of'Ql to 5 per cent under ordinaryV atmospheric temperatures and velocity conditions, and a much greater4 loss under excessive windvelocities. 'This appears to be due to the factthat the transverse air currents passinwardly and downwardly between inclined louvers on the windward side of al tower'and thence along the horizontalk passageway `formed by parallel decks and then upwardly between inclined louvers on the ylee side of the tower, with the result that the same phenomenon takes place as is'commonly recognized. in the flow of fluids through a curved conduit vor elbow in which it is well known that at points in the flow of fluid the fluid reaches a velocity in excess of itsinitial velocity and that the velocity readings at ldifferent points in a given plane will vary appreciably. This condition in a cooling tower causesa low velocity iow of air directly beneath a cooling deck with progressively higher velocities toward the next succeeding lower deckand along the surface of the inclined louver on the lee side of the tower. This high velocity air will carry water particles up and over the edge of the louver and will blow them from the confines of the tower. Y

It is the principal object of the present invention to eliminate water losses which might occur in a water cooling tower dueto this actionof transverse air currents by insuring that transversely flowingair will move in a horizontal direction through the tower with' substantially uniform flow while causing water particles entrainedv therein to be trapped and diverted into the column of falling water. i

The present invention contemplates the provisionof louver panels secured at intervals throughout the height of the tower and `normally extending downwardly and inwardly toward the deck area, said panels being formed of a plurality of vertically eX- tending strips spaced in staggered overlapping relation to each other so that a composite continuous wall surface will be presented to any water tending to blow from the tower to entrap the same by surface tension while permitting the air passing transversely of the tower to find its way between the adj acent -staggered strips of the louvers after striking said surfaces and while :traveling in a substantially horizontal plane.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which j j Figure lis a fragmentary view of-a cooling tower showing a portion of its frame, the superposed decks thereof, and the inclined louvers.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing one of the :louver panels and the composite formationthereof; Y

:Fig v3 is a view in transverse section throughlthe louver Vpanelas seen on the line of F ig. 2,;showing the staggered relation ofthe louver strips .and `the manner in which a `circulation, of air through .the louver may be permitted. 1

4: is -a 'fragmentary `view in section through-one end ofthe louver as seen on the line of Fig. 3.

Fig 5'is a fragmentary view in diagram Showing the normal path of v.travel of the windrthrough Vthe type of cooling tower with Wlhich the present invention is concerned.

6.is -a view in diagram genera'llyvshowing the normal travel of wind through the cooling ftower with which lthe present inventionis concerned.

Figa? is anend view oflouver panel showing optional meth-od of supporti-ng louver slats.

lReferring `more lparticularly to the drawing, 10 indicates one of a pluralityof vertical columns which carry transverse chord .beams l1. These panels are spaced a desired distance apart .in superposed horizontal planes and carry deck strips l2, although it is to be understood that a plurality Lofdecks orV dis? tributing means :isnot essential-to :the present invention. The deck strips 12 are spaced a distance fromeach otherto permit water which'falls upon them :to overflow and find itswaydown between the deck stripsonto the subjacent decks, :in this manner .placing the Water in a vnelydivided state and insuring that its :particles willfindiv'idually come into intimate contact with the atmosphere through whichfthey fall. ln'the operationof a cooling towerfthemajor/flow of air is=a transverse flow as established by the direction of the prevailing wind. In order to prevent the transverse fair-currents `from 'blowing 1the finely divided .particles of water-from the l Y j 1,794,394

decks passing downwardly through a throat le formed between the upper edge of an inclined louver and the outer adjacent edge of a cooling deck on the Windward side, thereafter Vdipping downwardly across the falling column of water particles and then being diverted vup *ardly to pass outwardly through a throat l5 formed between the adjacent edge of the cooling deck and the upper edge of the louver upon :the lee side ofthe tower.` In the usual cooling 'tower construction this forms a vpassageway having bends at its opposite sides tolcreate :the phenomenon which takes place when liquid iiows through a pipe elbow, with the lresult that in such structures the -air velocity will be materially increased toward and along theouter wall of the conduit and a condition will be established which will then cause the air to carry large water particles and mist over the upper lip of the louver at the point indicated at 16 in Fig. 5.

Scientific tests have been made with the common type of tower, which clearly prove that the ai-r velocity above-the upper surface of a cooling deck and along the upwardly and outwardly inclined face of `thelouve-r -on the lee side of the tower is excessive :(often of the order of twice as great as the initial velocity on the Windward sideV of the tower) and that water particles will be-car'ried upwardly and then outwardly in a general horizontal direction for a considerable dist-ance away from the tower, In a test with wind at a velocity of l0 miles an hou-r water was thrown over theledge of fthexlouver inthe form of a mist in. a considerable volume on the Llee side for a distance of possibly 20 feet.

As previously/stated the water loss-'brought about-by such .an action is usuallyfrom 2 to f5 per cent. By the present invention themaj or portion oftliis'losshas been eliminatedby the ventilated louver as-shown in 2 of the drawings. The ventilated louver while giving the vtower .the same appearance as the usual imperforate louver provides additional advantages since it not only will permit a flow of -air which will pass over the upper edge of a louver and then downwardly into one ofthe throats 14 :or 'l5 Aand lacross the tower,`but willalso permit aproportion of air to flow through the louvers withoutvpursuing this .sinuous path .ofrtrave-l. 'In `actual practice the eiective area of the passagcways through which the air tlows through the louver is in the order of eight-tenths of the area of either of the throats 11i and 15 through vwhich the air normally flows. It will thus be evident that the velocity llow ofthe stream oit' air passing across the tower from one throat 141 to the throat 15, or vice versa, will be materially reduced since almost an Vequal volume of air will ilow through the louver. It will also `be seen that the air flowing through the louvers will pursue a path of travel substantially horizontal and will tend to flatten the curve of the Vstream of air flowing over and between the louvers to prevent excessive air velocity'along the cooling decks and along the louvers on the lee side and thus eliminate water loss at those points. This louver may be mounted in the same inclined position as assumed by the louver in the common type of tower,` or at any other desired inclination. Y

The louver in which the present invention is embodied acts as an air and water separator and permits the` air to pass through the tower at a substantially uniform velocity throughoutthe height of the tower -while acting as an effective barrier against the horizontal travel oi large or small 'water particles from the tower; f

rlhe louver with which'the present inven- Y tion is concerned comprises vupper and lower binding strips 17' and18, here shown as formed along'one side with a Ytongue 19 of reduced thickness, thus providing a seat upon opposite sides ofV the tongue to receive louver strips 20-and 21. These strips extend longitudinally of the louvers in a general vertical direction and are alternately disposedalong opposite sides of the tongue as more clearly shown in Fig. Set the drawing and the strips which are in the same plane are spaced a distance apart less than the width ot the strips,

thus the adjacent strips of alternate planes will overlap each other as shown in Fig. 3 and will present a substantially continuous obstructing tace and capillary surfacein the path of the water while producing an imperi'ora-te wall through which the air may pass. The thickness of the tongue 19 creates a spacebetween the adjacent staggered strips and thus provides throats 2.2 which are in planes at right angles to the face of the louver. Due to the provision of these throats the air may pass through the louver while the water will be blown against the exposed sur-r face of thelouver strips and will be held by surface tension and will be permitted to flow downwardly along the length of the inclined surface thereof and into the falling column ot water particles. The advantages gained by such an arrangement may be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings in which it will be seen that'the transverse air currents will find theirway through an adjacent louver by passing through the space 22 between slats thereof and that this air may then continue in a substantially horizontal path of travel through the columnv of falling water particles. Assuming that the prevailing wind strikes the side of the tower on which throat 14 occurs as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawing it will be seen that the air will be directed along two courses of travel, instead of one course between the louvers and across the tower as is usually the case. A portion ofthe air stream will strike the inclined faces of the slats 20'and 2l and will pass through the throat -22 between the slats and will then be tree to continue along a horizontal path of travel across the cooling, deck to the opposite louver. The vdownwardly diverted stream of air which flows along the inclined tace ot the louver slats and then across and between the-cooling decks 12 will be vacted against by the horizont-al moving air 'which flows between .the slats and through the louvers and will tend to prevent a transverse air'currents reach the opposite side of the cooling tower they will blow water particles against thesurface ofthe inclined louver to beentrained thereon. The moving air will then find its way through the openings 22 between the slats ofthe louver withl out carrying any appreciable amount of moisture with it; Someof the air will or" course pass between the adjacent horizontal edges of the louvers, but due to the low air velocity there prevailing will not cause any appreciable water loss.

t will thus be seen that by the cooling tower construction here disclosed a uniform enclosing separator wall will be presented to transversely flowing air currents which will permit the air to flow at substantially uniform velocity through and across the tower at any point in its height while eliminating the creation of excessive air velocities or conditions whereby water will be lost by entra-inment inthe air flowing romthe tower. It will also be evident that throughout the height of the tower there will be no plane in louver faces and will be diverted into .the column of falling water particles.

While I haveshown the preferred form of my invention as no w :known vto me it will be understood that various changes may be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent l.` A water cooling tower of the atmospheric type inwhich a falling spray of finely divided water particles is maintained, said tower comprising a plurality of superposed perforate cooling decks7 the perimeters of said decks being bounded by inclined perforate louvers whereby air may flow across the spray vof water .particles along paths through the louvers andfbetween the louvers.

2. In a coolingvtower of the atmospheric type, an inclined side louver comprisingva plurality of slats arranged in spaced parallel planes, the slats of adjacent planes being staggered with relationl to each other and overlapping at their edges whereby an effective water barrier will be provided while permitting a flow of air around and between the slats of the louver.

8. In a water cooling tower of the atmos` pheric type, an inclined side louver comprising a plurality of slats arranged in parallel planes, said slats extending substantially vertically of said incline, the slats in each plane being uniformly spaced with relation to each other and the slats in adjacent planes being staggered with relation to each other with their edges overlapping to provide a solid barrier against water and to permit air to freely pass around the overlapping edges of the slats and therebetween.

4. In an atmospheric water c-ooling tower having parallel snperposed decks, inclined louvers emanatingl from a point near the edge of one deck and extending upwardly and outwardly to a point spaced fromand in substantially vthe same horizontal plane of the next superjacent deck, said louvers comprising upper and l-ower binding strips carrying a vplurality of louver slats upon their opposite sides, said slats being uniformly spaced apart with relation to each other on opposite sides of the binding strips and adjacent slats upon opposite sides -of the strips being staggered withrelation to each other and with their edges overlapping whereby the slats will form a composite wall acting as an effective barrier for water blowing thereagainst while permitting the air to pass around and between the overlapping edges of adjacent slats. Y

y5. lIn a water cooling tower of the atmospheric type in which a falling spray of finely "L divided water `particles is maintainedyperforate cooling decks disposed in superposed spaced relation throughout the height of said tower and onto which said spray falls, inclined louvers one disposed on each side of the tower to enclose the space between adjacent cooling decks, said louvers flaring outwardly from the tower from a plane adjacent that of a cooling deck and-terminating with their tioned stream of air horizontally beneath the adjacent upper cooling deck and to prevent it from sweeping downwardly over the adj acent lower deck to carry the column of water over the edge of the louver on the lee side.

G. In a water cooling tower of theiatmos-l pheric type in which a falling spray of finely dividedy water particles is maintained, perforate cooling decks disposed in superposcd spaced relation throughout `the height of' said tower and onto which said spray falls, in-

clined louvers one disposed on. each side of the tower to enclose the space between adj acent cooling decks, said louvers flaring outwardly from the tower from a plane adjacent that cfa cooling deck and terminating with their upper edges substantially in alignment with a superj acent cooling deck and horizontally spaced therefrom to form a throat through which air may be diverted downwardly and across the column of water between adjacent rcooling decks, said louvers being perforate whereby a proportion of the transversely flowing air will pass over the upper lip of the louver and across the towerl anda proportionof the flowing air will pass through the louver along a path substantially parallel -to the adjacent cooling decks thus tending to direct the first mentioned stream of air horizontally beneath the adjacent upper cooling deck and to prevent it from sweeping downwardly over the adjacent lower deck to carry the column of water over the edge of the louver on the lee side, and means embodied in the louver construction acting to baffle the flowing air so that it will strike wetted surfaces on the lee side and its moisture will be entrained thereupon to'be diverted back into the water column.

7. A water cooling tower of the atmospheric type in which a falling spray of finely divided water particles is maintained, saidl tower comprising a plurality of superposed perforate cooling decks, the perimeters of loi) said decks being bounded by inclined perforate louvers whereby air may flow across the spray of water particles along paths through the louvers and between the louvers, thelouvers inclining downwardly and 1nwardly toward the cooling decks and the surfaces thereof extending continuously along the direction of inclination whereby moisture entrainedzthereuponwill be conducted back into the tower.

CARL F. BRAUN. 

